


stay

by DesertRaven



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Blood, Blood and Injury, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Death, Female Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Gen, Gratuitous Zenos, Obligatory CW: Zenos, Spoiler: Zenos kills the WoL and enjoys it, Stabbing, Tags Are Hard, Unnamed Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Violence, Zenos obsession takes weird shapes, just use caution, kind of, probably dead dove
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:34:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29888778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DesertRaven/pseuds/DesertRaven
Summary: “When you are gone, I will reduce this world to ash.”
Relationships: Zenos yae Galvus/Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 22





	stay

**Author's Note:**

> And now, for something completely different.
> 
> Look, this is dark and weird and I have a lot of Zenos feelings.
> 
> Please heed the tags.

From the start she had known she could not beat him. Still, she gave him everything, because that was what he demanded of her. Every onze of fight, defiance, rage she had in her body, she poured into their battle. And he reveled in it.

Both of them are bleeding heavily from wounds too grievous and too numbered to count. It’s over, but she summons the last of her strength and lunges for him, aiming to drive the point of her gunblade through his chest. The impact to her stomach drives the air from her lungs, stopping her just short of her target. Time stills as her mind catches up with their movements. Her weapon falls from her hands but she doesn’t hear it hit the ground over the ringing in her ears.

Her hand slips on the blood soaked blade where it protrudes from her gut, the other clawing uselessly at his armor, finally finding purchase when her fingers slip into the gap where his chest plate meets his arm. She tastes blood, feels it spilling across her lower lip. He wraps his free arm around her, supporting her weight with a hand on her lower back. She can’t tell where the blade exits her body, but based on the angle it must be somewhere on her mid or upper back. Her eyes frantically search his for some sign that this isn’t really happening, but all she finds looking back at her is calm, almost peaceful. He has looked this way before, but he had been dying, then.

“You’ve done so well, my beast.”

A sick, wet gurgle escapes her throat. Words are long past her.

Is this truly the end? She can feel herself slipping, the world starting to grey around the edges. But he is still radiant, golden hair spilling over his shoulders as he leans over her. So close she can feel his breath hot on her face. Fitting that it should be the two of them, in the end.

“Shh. It’s almost over. Stay with me just a bit longer.”

White hot pain shoots through her when he shifts them both, lowering himself to his knees and pulling her nearly into his lap. He releases his katana to push her hair away from her face, matting white strands with blood. Is that her blood or his? Does it matter?

“Death is beautiful, is it not?”

She would laugh, if she could manage it. He pulls her hand from his armor to hold it in his own, but she lacks the strength to even grip him.

“The world will be dull without you, my friend. But until then, ah, what bliss.”

Is this truly to be the legacy of the Warrior of Light? Dying not in glory surrounded by allies, but alone in some wasteland, in the arms of a man who had torn the world apart to drive her into battle once again.

“Stay with me until the end,” he murmurs, squeezing her hand softly. “Stay with me.”

Darkness flickers, but he denies her the peace of unconsciousness. She screams, choking on the blood that fills her throat. Short, pained breaths spray crimson as she looks down to where he’s taken hold of his blade’s hilt again, twisting it just slightly. He shushes her softly, the arm wrapped around her back pulling her closer.

“I will savor every moment of this, do not deny me.”

If she could speak, would she beg for him to end it? Or is she just as insane as he is, willing to linger in this moment where the line between life and death begins to blur? It takes what little energy she has left to lift her hand to his wrist, fingers twitching weakly in an attempt to grip him. Not to pull him away; no, there would be no point. He’s won, as she had known he would. As ever, she will meet his demands.

“Such strength.” There is a softness to his words, his expression, that is entirely at odds with the horrific scene they’re in, but she understands him. “Would that you could tell me about it. How you feel as your heart beats its last.”

She holds his gaze, her face wet with tears and blood, so mixed at this point that she can’t tell which is which. There is blood on his face too, bright red spattered across pale flesh. She wishes she could wipe it away. Let her last image of him be the perfection that always appears in her mind’s eye when she thinks of him. For all that it matters.

What waits for her on the other side? Do her friends watch and wait for her to join them? Her enemies? The mountain of dead piled malms high in the wake of the Warrior of Light and Darkness. 

Endless nothingness? That would be true peace. At long last she could rest.

“When you are gone, I will reduce this world to ash.”

It doesn’t matter, she will not be here to notice it.

Does she still breathe? Does her heart still beat? She is no longer certain of either, only the roar in her ears and the piercing blue of his eyes. His lips move, but she does not hear him. The softness is gone. Emptiness in its place.

If he twists the blade again when she slips into darkness, she does not feel it.

_The light fades from her eyes, taking color and meaning from his world with it. She is no more, and he feels nothing._

**Author's Note:**

> [Emet-Selch’s Wholesomely Debauched and Enabling Book Club](https://discord.gg/K9PW9qv)


End file.
